The ‘fallacy of normalcy’: A content analysis of women's online post-childbirth health-related support

BackgroundOnline forums have changed traditional sources of seeking help because they provide an anonymous and non-judgemental environment particularly suited for women with post-childbirth problems.QuestionWhat support is given to mothers who have posted questions about post-childbirth morbidities?MethodsA total of 333 messages posted on a post-childbirth online forum were loaded into NVIVO 12 Pro and were analysed using content and thematic analysis. Content analysis identified the major health problems, and thematic analysis was used for identifying motivations and the support offered.FindingsSeventeen different health problems were discussed on posts, with a strong emphasis on pelvic problems, followed by mental health concerns. The key motivation for seeking online help identified using ‘typology of advice solicitation’ was request for opinion or information (48.85%). The two main support themes were: peer to peer support (82%) and normalisation (not always appropriate) of post-childbirth problems (18%). Most of the support offered was emotional (56.9%) followed by practical (22.7%) and informational support (20.4%).DiscussionPostpartum adjustment of post-childbirth experiences can be supportive but if ill-informed may provide a barrier to safe and reliable health care.ConclusionWe recommend women have access to online forums moderated by healthcare providers who can notify participants when a problem requires support from a relevant health professional opinion.     

Networked discontent: The anatomy of protest campaigns in social media

We analyze the communication network that emerged in social media around an international protest campaign launched in May 2012. Applying insights from network science and the theory of brokerage, we examine the cohesion of the network with community detection methods, and identify the users that spanned structural holes, creating bridges for potential information diffusion. We also analyze actual message exchange to assess how the network was used to facilitate the transmission of information. Our findings provide evidence of fragmentation in online communication dynamics, and of a distribution of brokerage opportunities that was both uneven and underexploited. We use these findings to assess recent theoretical claims about political protests in the digital age.     

How organizations want to be viewed: Public relations photographs in online wire services

The study explored the characteristics of photos in online news wire services. Nearly 70% of the photos represented product, CEO and events when examining photo content. The most distinguished purpose of the public relations photos were publicity and public announcements, followed by image building. Almost all of the publicity photographs were provided by business/industry organizations. Supporting arguments for the independence of public relations do not seem to be voiced by public relations practitioners in the analysis of photos.     

The Social Affordances of Flashpacking: Exploring the Mobility Nexus of Travel and Communication

Abstract

The proliferation of digital devices and online social media and networking technologies has altered the backpacking landscape in recent years. Thanks to the ready availability of online communication, travelers are now able to stay in continuous touch with friends, family and other travelers while on the move. This paper introduces the practice of ‘flashpacking’ to describe this emerging trend and interrogates the patterns of connection and disconnection that become possible as corporeal travel and social technologies converge. Drawing on the concepts of ‘assemblages’ and ‘affordances,’ we outline several aspects of this new sociality: virtual mooring, following, collaborating, and (dis)connecting. The conclusion situates this discussion alongside broader questions about the shifting nature of social life in an increasingly mobile and mediated world and suggests directions for future research at the intersection of tourism and technology.     

开放大学网络教学模式创新研究——以证券投资学课程为例

当今,信息化技术已经渗透到社会的各个方面。在教育领域中,一场信息化的颠覆性变革正悄悄地进行着。证券投资学课程将多元立体化网络教学模式应用于教学实践,并对教学效果加以分析,具有十分重要的意义。     

中国古典文学作品混合式教学的创新探索

信息技术的发展带来教育理念、教学模式的变革,突破了传统讲授式教学的弊端。近年来,以"线上学习+线下教学"为基本特征的混合式教学模式受到社会各界的青睐,该教学模式具有开放性、互动性和拓展性的特征,能有效提升教学质量。本文正是基于此,以中国古典文学作品教学为例,探讨如何在该课程教学中应用混合式教学,以期提高人才培养质量。     

应用型本科院校在线课程质量评价指标构建研究

在教育部的引导和支持下,各类高校都开始建设在线课程,推动课堂教学改革。应用型本科院校要想保障在线课程质量,提高应用型人才培养质量,需要制定符合培养目标的在线课程评价标准。根据在线课程评价体系原则,以国家标准为蓝本,从在线课程建设效果评价、在线课程应用效果评价、在线课程教学效果评价三个方面进行评价指标研究,具有十分重要的意义。     

知识意义建构目标下的英语课堂评估策略——解析“网络交互模态”的潜性评估效应

评估是教学中不可或缺的重要环节。评估的目的是为教学提供有益的反馈,不仅为了便于教师把握教学效果。改进施教方法;同时,也为了使学生及时了解自身的学习情况,改进学习方法。教学评估不仅包括以标准化考试为代表的终结性评估,也包括学习过程评价的形成性评估。试图立足于建构主义教学理论,探讨并揭示基于计算机数码技术的英语课堂网络交互模态潜在的形成性评价作用,以期在网络交互模态的教学实践中,更好地发挥其形成性评估的潜性效应,这无疑具有重大意义。     

The Concerns of Authors: Textual Analysis of Online Journal Reviews

This paper presents the results of an investigation of Chinese authors' attitudes towards, and concerns about, academic journals by analyzing their comments posted on a journal review Web site. The views of 338 authors about 13 Chinese academic journals in the library and information science field were collected. Using word frequency, word co-occurrence, and factor analysis, their comments were processed and the important factors extracted. The authors addressed a series of aspects regarding the journal itself, the review and publication process, and the service provided by editors. The paper provides a unique opportunity to understand Chinese authors' views using a direct source.     

Comic-Book Fan Magazines: Watching Pop Turn into Art

Abstract

Numerous studies published in the academic literature address the issue of journal quality assessment. However, little has been done to compare the factors that influence the perceptions of journal quality in different disciplines. From Chinese authors' viewpoint, this study explored the factors influencing author quality perceptions of journals in computer science and technology as well as in library and information science. Our empirical findings indicate that author-perceived journal quality in these two fields is significantly positively correlated with impact factors and not statistically significantly correlated with technical delay and immediacy index. Slightly different results are also found between the two fields in terms of the effects of editor service, editorial delay and acceptance rates.